Over his 12-year career as an NHL head coach, Mike Babcock has changed the way we view the dynamics of coaching.
He’s the poster boy for what’s been a dramatic shift away from the short-tempered taskmasters of yesteryear. He’s resourceful, generally calm and collected – though he can still play the bad cop role when the situation requires it.
And, oh yeah, he’s won one Stanley Cup and been to the Final two other times.
He has now changed NHL coaching once again and, this time, from an economic standpoint.
By accepting a $50 million contract from the Toronto Maple Leafs (and reportedly turning down the same amount from the Buffalo Sabres), Babcock has left us to scratch our heads and wonder how much a head coach is really worth.